West Coast G-Funk drum pattern
A two-bar early-90s West Coast groove: a relaxed kick on the a of 2, a wide backbeat, lightly swung 16th hats and an open hat that rolls the phrase over. Press Play to hear it with a sampled drum kit at 94 BPM, change the tempo or swing, and follow every hit on the grid.
How to count the West Coast G-Funk
Count it as: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a · two bars. The pattern is a 2-bar phrase in 4/4 (two-bar swung 16th-note G-funk pocket).
The West Coast G-Funk pattern, hit by hit
Each character is one step of the grid and each group is one beat. X is an accented hit, x a normal hit, o a quiet or ghost note and - a rest.
| Voice | Bar 1 | Bar 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Kick | X--- ---x --x- ---- | X--- ---x -x-- --x- |
| Snare | ---- X--- ---- X--- | ---- X--- ---- X--- |
| Closed hat | xooo xooo xooo xooo | xooo xooo xooo xo-o |
| Open hat | ---- ---- ---- ---- | ---- ---- ---- --x- |
| Pedal hat | ---- o--- ---- o--- | ---- o--- ---- o--- |
Tempo and feel
Smooth and lazy. Everything leans slightly behind the beat, the 16ths glide rather than tick, and the kick never fights the bass line. The default tempo is 94 BPM. It plays with 57% swing by default; move the Swing control toward 50% to hear it straight. Slow it down until every hit is controlled, then raise the tempo a few BPM at a time.
How to practise the West Coast G-Funk
Play the 16th hats with a soft wrist and the Swing control on. Add the backbeat and let it sit a little behind the hats. Place the a-of-2 kick so it feels like a pickup into beat 3.
Variations to try next
Thin the hats to eighths for the verse. Remove the bar-two kick on the e of 3. Move the open hat to the and of 2.
Where to hear this feel
Records in this family include Warren G - Regulate, Snoop Doggy Dogg - Gin and Juice and Dr. Dre - Let Me Ride. This is a style study written for practice, not a transcription of any one recording.